Gas engine



E. l. AND J. F. W'OLF.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAY 24. |920.

1,42%818., Patentedsept. 19, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. F. WOOLF.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION man MAY 24. |920.

.ANDJ

Patented Sept 1&9, 1922 s sums-SHEET 2.

A TTOR'NE Ys E. I. ANDI. F. WOOLF. GAS ENGINE. APPL|cAT|oN-mn MAY 24,1920. 1,429,818., PatentedSept. 19, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F/G-c as 3Q f 4o as u I'- 42 ,43 3| I `\N l o o o o` I y 44 4s 54v l 4al 'If 6| n 'es 24 K I VL" l| I I 'ze I 64' JAY /r` Woo/ F INVENTORS.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

NETE@ S'FTFS FTENF @Ffiifh ELLIS J'. WOOLF ANI) JAY F. WOOLF, 0FMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS TO THE 'WOOLF CYCLE MOTOR COMPANY, OFMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION I OF ARIZONA.

GAS ENGINE.

Application filed May 24,

To all whom t may concer/n,

Be it known that we, ELLIS J. WooLF and JAY F. WooLr, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGas Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to gas engines of the two-cycle type and has foritsv object to provide improved means of carbureting and controlling thecharging Huid and of cooling the cylinder without the use of water orother circulating medium.

The full objects and advantages of .our invention will appear inconnection with the detailed description thereof and are particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating an application of our invention in oneform,-

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view taken through the motor including apair of cylinders on the line 1--1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional planview taken on line 2-2 of Fig.'1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation viewon line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional rplan view on line 4-4 ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation view taken on line 5-5of Fig. 2.

Our invention is shown applied to a double-unit engine, that is a unitincluding two v cylinders, in which application it is most efficient,but the principles of the invention may be applied efficiently to one orany desired number of cylinders. As shown, explosion cylinders 10, 11are closed at their top by plugs 13 embodying the usual spark plug.Cylindrical casings 14, 15 surround the lower part of the cylinders 10and 11 and extend a considerable distance below, the lower open end ofcylinders 10 and 11 opening directly into the interior of cylinders 14and 15. Within cylinders 10 and 11 operate the main pistons 16, 17 whichare formed integral with enlarged pistons 18, 19 operating within thecylinders 14, 15. The crankshaft 20 is journaled in a multiplicity ofbearings formed in conjunction with the walls of cylinders 14, 15extending across an eccentric chamber 21. The crankshaft has ineccentric chamber 21 an eccentric 22 which communicates by a compoundlrod 23, 24 with a pair of tubular valve members 25, 26 integrallyconnected and movable 1920. Serial No. 383,733.

as a unit and operating in a cylindrical valve chamber 27 formed betweenthe cylinders 14 and 15. The upper end of valve chamber 27 leadsdirectly into an exhaust pipe 28 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and thisexhaust pipe is surrounded by a casing 29 forming an, annular chamber30. Airkpassageways` 31 and 32 are formed by casing extensions asindicated in Fig. 3. Passage 31 communicates with the outside airthrough ports 34 and 35, while similar ports 36 and 37 lead topassageway 32, the latter ports preferably being partially closed byplugs 38. Airv from passageway 31 passes through a passage 39 intov thespace 30 surrounding theJ exhaust tube 28, from which 1t goes by apassageway 40 into the passage 41from the passageways 32. Passageway 41communicates through a port 42 with the primary Iinlet of carburetermechanism 43 secured vupon the engine casing immediately back of thevalve chamber 27. rllhis air then passes through a port 44 past theneedle valve 45 yfor supplying fuel from feed 46, thence through areversely-curved passage 47 and a second passage 48 directly to theinterior of valve chamber 27 below the valve member 25. This primary airwill therefore be considerably heated by passage along and around theexhaust pipe 28.

The inlet and exhaust of the engine both pass through similarpassageways into the valve chamber 27. These passageways are wellillustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 wherein a multiplicity of exhaust ports50 (in the example shown being four in number) communicate with passages51, 52 which open into the valve chamber 27 and exhaust directly throughthe same into exhaust pipe 28, the exhaust from the two cylinders 10 and11 being regulated or controlled by the upper portion of valve 25. y

It will thus be seen that not only is the primary air going to thecarbureter heated by passage'over and around the exhaust pipe 28, butalso by passage along walls 53 separating exhaust passages 52 frompassages 31 and 32. Ports 54 positioned below ports 51 lead fromcylinders 10 and 11 through passageways 55 into chambered passageways 56at the sides of the cylinders 14 and 15, said chambered passagewaysbeing formed by casing members 57, 58 formed in conjunction with basemembers 59 so that the passages 56 are' in communication with 4lowervalve members 25 and, 26`and passes through ports 61 and passageways 62(indicated in dotted lines in' F ig. 3) into chambers 56 at a pointsomewhat below the passageways 55 by which such fuel mixture isultimately introduced yinto cylinders 10 and 11. i" i Adjacent tocarbureter passageway 43 for primary airis a secondary air passageway 63which 'communicates by passage 64 with the eccentric chamber 21, whicheccentric chamber, as heretoforenoted, is in direct communication withthe lower `part of the valve chamber27.v The lower valver member 26 is,as shown, providedwithstaggered half-cylindrical portions alternatelyregistering with ports 65 and 66 entering the interior of cylinders 14and 15 below piston members 18 and 19, by which means the secondary airis sucked into the said cylinders and into the crank chambers 60 fromwhence l it isv forced intoy the ,chambers 56 A; zba'clrof the fuelcharge entering said chambers from passageways V62. The outstroke-.ofpistons 18 or 19 will thus have the effect of forcing the unheatedycold'air which has passed into the cylinder chamber 14 or 15 and crankchamber 60, through .the chambers 56,y and into cylinders 10 and 11through ports 54 shortly after ports 50 are uncovered for exhaust.r1`hey result is that therev is driven into the explosion cylinder afterexhausta stratified charge of scavenging air trapped in chambers 56 andpassageways 55 above thecharge coming through passageways. 63, then thefuel charge and finally-additional air to mixtherewith and form perfectcombustion, insuring complete injection of the fuel charge without wasteor'without loss through exhaust ports, and leaving a fresh charge ofcoldair in the upper portion ,of chambers 56 and in passages 55 for thesucceeding cycle. e y, f y

The pump members 1,8, 19 also operate to force a large streamof'atmospheric air along the walls of cylindersl() and 11 and aroundexhaust passages 51,52 in' suchwise as to effect cooling without the useof any water circulation. The construction for effecting this is bestshown in Figs. 8 and 4. Surrounding the upper portion of cylinders 10and 11 and positioned in annular relation thereto is a cylinderho'od .70which is'connected by a multiplicity ofr radial pin members 71castintegrally betweenl cylinder 10 and cylinderO.. The cylinderslO (or11) and 7() form an annular chamber bridged by numerous pins 71and whichchamber has an annular'passageway 73 opening into an annular chamber 74surrounding cylinder 10 immediatelyk above the exhaust passageways 51.As shown in Fig. 2, the chamber or passageway 74 communicates byvertical passageways 5, 76,77 and 78, going by ythe exhaust passage 51to a secondjannular chamber 7 9 wherein is an annular flange 80 'forconstraining the airfto movel along'the lower walls of exhaust passages51 and against the lower portion 'of walls"l of cylinder 1() (or 11). From chamber 79 the air passes around the'inlet passages 55 into anannular chamber 81 below the same in direct communication `with. thechamber formed by cylinders 14 -or 15abovepistons 18 or 19. SurroundingYthe cylin'derYO is a cylindrical hood 82 which forms an annularkchambered passageway 83ropen to atmosphere atthelowerpart, as indicatedat 84, and communicating` .throughV an .annular y opening 85 with theupper partrof the cham-y ber formed between cylinders 10 andfO.`

It will .be apparent from theabovef'de- Y.

`scription that vasf piston (or719) 'moves yback and forth it willalternatelyv draw.v and force out a large volumeofair through the seriesof passageways 837;? 3,7 4, 9, 81.; This air will, therefore,"travel invimmediate proximity and in contact with outenwallspf l cylinder 10p` orthe'outer walls ofexhaust passageways y51, around theheat-withdrawingpins 71 vand along` both walls ofthe cylinder v70 ,communicatingthroughthe pins z 71 with the main vwalls.offcylinder 10.

lThe result is `that the explosion cylinder and the exhaustl passagewaysf are `maintained ata sufliciently reduced temperature to operatewithout the use vof any cooling medium @other thanthe air pumped inandout by the action of the upper-portionlof piston 18 or 19. At thesametime. the pistons ,18v (or 19), in cooperation with the valve-members 25and 26 and the doubleepassaged ,carburet-er mechanism 43, 63 areoperatingtodraw charges of explosive mixture and of atmospheric air andto cause said charges to -be delivered into the. chambers 56; instratified relation and thereafter to be forced into the explosioncylinder whereby scavenging air first, enters, followed byy the fuelcharge and in turn followed by atmospheric air back ofthefuel.

e During the downward or working stroke `of they pistons, the sleevevalves close the chargingports. and the large ends of the pistons Aclosethe free-air' ports and ,pre-` compressionl beginsv in the crankfchamber.

This pre-compression `continues until the l sleeve valves `first uncoverthe outer exhaust ports and -the piston heads next uncover the innerexhaust ports and exhaust/the combustionk cylinders down toless thancharging pressure Land] finally uncover ythe Ycharging 1 ports when thepre-compressed mixture en- 'i ters ythe combustion cylinders thescavenging airv first sweeping the piston heads and meetmg at a .CommonCenter @acqua-1' .v0.1-

umes and under equal pressures is deflected upward through the centralZone of the combustion cylinders to the centrally located sparli plugsand is deflected around and over the wall of the compression space, thendownward over the -`cylinder walls toward the exhaust ports.

As the sleeve valve closes the exhaust ports before the piston headcloses the charging ports, the freshcharge will not reach the eX- haustports, and the products of the previous combustion not expelled by theincoming charge will be left immediately surrounding the closed exhaustports while the free air following the gas charge into the cylinders isleft immediately over the piston heads, thus stratifying the gas and airin the combustion cylinders.

The result is a self-contained air-cooled two-cycle motor wherein asingle valve conw trols the operation of two units and all parts areoperated directly from the crankshaft and in conjunction with the enginepiston.

We claim:

l. A two-cycle engine comprising a 'cylinder casing having a series lofannular inlet ports, a casing surrounding said cylinder and providingchambered passageways in communication with said ports, a crank-caseYchamber in communication with said chambered passageways, a valvechamber, means for admitting fuel mixture into one part of said valvechamber and for'admitting atmospheric air into another part of saidvalve chamber, means for admitting said fuel miX- ture from the valvechamber into said chamberedpassageways, means for admitting the air fromsaid valve chamber into the crankn casechamber, and a valve membermovable as a unit in said chamber for controlling the admission of saidfuel gas and air.

2. A two-cycle engine comprising a cylinder casing and inlet portsthereto, a second casing forming a. chambered passageway a crank casingin communication'with said passageway, means for admitting fuelmixtureinto the chambered passageway,'means for admitting atmosphericair into the crank-case chamber, and a valve member movable as a unitand operated in timed relation to the movement of the engine piston forcontrolling the admission of said fuel gas and air.

3. A two-cycle engine comprising a cylinder casing and inlet portsthereto, a second casing forming a chambered passageway a crank casingin communication with said passageway, means for admitting fuel mixtureinto the chambered passageway, means for admitting atmospheric air intothe crank-case chamber, and al valve member comprising a pair ofintegrally-connected yportions movable as a unit in timed relation tothe movement of the engine piston, one of said portions controllingadmission of fuel mixture to the chambered passageway and the otherportion controlling admission of air to the crank-case chamber.

4. A two-cycle engine comprising la cylinder casing having inlet ports,a casing formed in conjunction therewith and providing a chamberedpassageway in communication with said ports, a crank-case chamber incommunication with said chambered passageways, a valve chamber, meansfor admitting fuel mixture into one part of said valve chamber and foradmitting atmospheric air into another part of said valve chamber, meansfor admitting said fuel mixture from the valve chamber into thechambered passageway, means for admitting air from said valve 'chamberinto the crank-case chamber, and a valve member movable as a unit insaid chamber for controlling the admission of said fuel gas and air.

5. A two-cycle engine comprising a cylinder casing having inlet ports, acasing formed in conjunction therewith and providing a chamberedpassageway in communication with said ports, a crank-case chamber incommunication with said chambered passageways, a valve chamber, meansfor admitting fuel mixture into one part of said valve chamber and foradmitting atmospheric air into another part of said valve chamber, meansfor admitting said fuel miX- ture from the valve chamber into thechambered passageway, means for admitting air from said valve chamberinto the crank-case chamber, and a valve member comprising twointegrally-connected portions movable a unit in said chamber, oneportion controlling admission of the fuel and the other portioncontrolling the admission of the air.

6. A two-cycle engine comprising a cylinder casing having inlet ports, acasing formed in conjunction therewith and providing a chamberedpassageway in communica-- tion with said ports, a cranlecase chamber incommunication with said chambered passageways, a valve chamber, meansfor admitting fuel mixture into one part of said valve chamber, and foradmitting atmospheric air into another part of said valve chamber, meansfor admitting said fuel mim ture from the valve chamber into thechainbered passageway, means for admitting air from said valve chamberinto the crank-case chamber, and a reciprocating doublesleeve valveintegrally connected and movable as a unit in said valve chamber, one ofsaid sleeves controlling admission of fuel gas and the other sleevecontrolling admission of air. f

7. A two-cycle engine comprising a casing forming an explosion cylinder,a chambered passageway in communication therewith, a crank-case chamberin communicationwith the chambered passageway, a valve chamber havingmeans of separate communication to the chambered passageway and thecrankcase chamber, an eccentricchamber formed in communication with thevalve chamber, means for admitting air tothe eccentric chamber and lowerportion of the valve chamber, means for admitting fuel mixture to thevalve chamber at a higher point therein, a piston operative in theexplosion cylinder, a crank-shaft connected with said piston andextending across the eccentric chamber, a reciprocating valve member inthe valve chamber, and an eccentric on said crank-shaft in the eccentricchamber for operating said valve in timed relation to the operation ofthe piston to control admission of air to the crank-case chamber andadmission of fuel mixture to the chambered passageway.

8. fr two-cycleyengine comprising a pair of explosion cylinders andtheir crank-case chambers and an intermediate cylindrical valve chamber,a valve member therein comprising a pair of integrally-connected sleeveparts dividing the valve chamber into two separated portions, means foradmitting fuel mixture into one of said portions, means for conductingit therefrom into each of said explosion cylinders, means for admittingatmospheric air into the other portion of the valve chamber and forconducting 'it therefrom into each of the crank chambers,-and means tomove the valve member in timed relation -to the pistons. of the engineforcontrolling the passage of said fuel gas and air alternately to theexplosion cylinders and crank ychambers respectively 9. A two-cycleengine comprising an explosion cylinder and its crank-case chamber and avalve chamber adjacent thereto, a valve member therein comprising a pairof integrally-connected sleeve parts dividing the valve chamber into twoseparated portions means foradmitting fuel mixture into one of saidportions,.means for conducting it therefrom into said explosioncylinder, means for admitting atmospheric'air into the Vother portion ofthe valve chamber and for conducting it therefrom into the crankchamber, and means to move the valve member in timed relation to thepiston of the engine for controlling the passage of said fuel gas andair to the explosion cylinder and crank chamber respectively.

10. 'A two-cycle engine comprising a casing forming an explosioncylinder and its crank-case chamber and a valve chamber adjacentthereto, a valve membertherein comprising a pair of integrally-connectedpiston sleeves dividing the chamber into three separated portions, meansfor permitting exhaust `from the explosion cylinder through the upperportion, means for admitting fuel mixture into the middle portion,meansfor conducting it therefrom into said explosion cylinder, means'foradmitting atmospheric air into the lower portion of the valve chamberand for conducting it. therefrom into the crank chamber, and means tomove the valve member in timed relation to the piston yof the engine*for controlling the exhaust through said upper portion of the valvechamber andthefpas-l sage of said fuel gas and air to the explosionchamber and crank chamber respectively. 11. A two-cycle enginecomprising a pair of explosion cylinders and their'crank-case chambersand an intermediate cylindrical valve chamber opening at its upperv endinto the exhaust pipe, a valve -member in the chamber comprising a pairof integrally connected piston sleeves dividing the valve chamber 'intothree -v separated portions, means for permitting admission of gases ofcombustion from both cylinders through the upper portion of said valvechamber, means for admitting fuel mixture into the middle portion, meansfor conducting it therefrom into each of said explosion cylinders, meansfor admitting atmospheric airinto the bottoin portion ofthe valvechamber and for `casing forming a second cylinder and an annular spacesurrounding the explosion cylinder and open to atmosphere, a piston inthe explosion cylinder, a second piston connected therewithand operativein the second cylinder forvpumping atmospheric air backl and forththrough said space over the walls of said explosion cylinder, anda'ho'od enveloping the portion of said casing forming. the annular spaceand `providing av second annular space about said portion whereby theair pumped back and forth will be forced to travel along both sides ofsaid portion. i f

13. A two-cycle engine ycomprising a casing forming an explosioncylinder anda multiplicity of exhaust and inlet passages connectedtherewith and also forming a valve chamber and a single exhaust passageconnected with said multiplicity of exhaust passages` and withl thevalve chamber, and a chambered passage connected with said multiplicityof inlet ypassages and with the valve chamber, an exhaust pipe havingconnection with the valve chamber, said casing 'also forming airpassages extending along said single exhaust pipe and around the exhaustpipe and leading from thence to the for controlling the admission offuel mixture from the valve chamber to the inlet passages.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures.

ELLIS J. TOOLB JAY F. WOLF.

